East Webster comes off bye, hosts Wesson

The East Webster High School baseball team gets its 2012 postseason underway today.

The Wolverines host Wesson at 6 p.m. tonight in the second round of the Class 5A State playoffs.

The Wolverines won their division and got a first-round bye and head coach Wes Johnson feels indifferent about the bye.

"I don't really know if it does," Johnson said of the bye helping. "If I had my preference, I would rather have played. If it does help, it helps the pitchers probably. (It) gives them a week rest on their arms. We have rested some pitchers."

Johnson did not get a chance to scout Wesson in the first round because they played Hamilton last Friday night.

He has heard some things on Wesson and knows they are not going to beat themselves.

"I know they have one really good pitcher," Johnson said. "Everybody I have talked to says that their defense is pretty solid. They are a team that is well-coached and they are not going to beat themselves. If you beat them you are going to have to throw strikes and hit the ball."

The key to how far the Wolverines will go in the playoffs is how they hit the ball. East Webster can bunch runs together, but can also experience a drought at the plate.

"We pretty much have gotten consistent pitching all year long, but our hitting has been a little less than average at times," Johnson said.
Seniors like Codie Silver, Ty Hendrix and Conner Burton are the guys Johnson wants to step up at the plate and lead this team.

"The seniors," Johnson said of who needs to step. "I have five seniors and all of them are at the top of the lineup. I moved them there, and I basically told them 'we are going to sink or swim with y'all.'"

The Wolverines travel to Wesson on Friday at 6 p.m. for game two. If a game three is necessary, it will be at East Webster at 2 p.m. on Saturday.